Drivers debate taxi permit cap in Milwaukee

City faces lawsuit from drivers fighting cap

The city of Milwaukee is facing a lawsuit over how many cabs can be licensed, and the drivers are conflicted over whether or not they can survive if the city loses that suit.

"It's going to destroy the cab business in Milwaukee totally," said Michael Richlin.

Richlin is a self-employed cab driver who is worried about his future in the business because the city of Milwaukee is considering lifting its 20-year cap on taxicab permits.

Right now, there are a little more than 300 licensed permits. Richlin said there are barely enough fares to keep those on the roads.

"It would be chaos down here with 200 cabs more, just chaos," Richlin said.

The city originally capped the permits because of that chaos. Drivers were getting into fights scrambling for fares. But the city is now being sued by drivers who complain that government regulation is violating their right to earn a living.

"I don't think we are living in today's world where we have freedom of speech, where we have a freedom of right and here in Milwaukee, we cannot own our own cab," said cab driver Asim Chaubhry, who has been driving seven years for someone else.